Banana-crate.



No. 875,266.. PATENTED DEG. 31, 1907.

C. HOWE & H. H. ELDREDGE.

BANANA CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1906.

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y CHARLES HOWE AND HARRY H. ELDREDGE, OF GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA.

BANANA-CRATE.

Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907'.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, CHARLES HOWE and HARRY H. ELDREDGE, citizens of the United States, residing at Guthrie, in the county of Logan and Oklahoma Territory, have invented a new and useful Banana-Crate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to banana crates.

The object of thc invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly efficient form of crate which shall in a no vel manner be ad apted to be set up or knocked down, and in which the banana containing bag or sack shall be so combined with the structure as to insure the contained fruit againstdamage in shipment.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a banana crate, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation exhibiting the crate as it appears when containing bananas. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation exhibiting the crate collapsed. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a portion of the crate partly opened. Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of a tag holder that may be used in connection with the crate.

The crate comprises a plurality of bands or hoops 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, which may be made either of wood or of metal, preferably the latter, a plurality of pairs of toggle levers 6, constructed preferably of strap metal, connecting the bands or hoops, and a sack or bag 7 for containing a bunch of bananas, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there are four longitudinal series of toggle levers each series being disj posed at right angles to the adjacent series, whereby when the four series are combined with the bands, the structure when viewed in plan is approximately quadrangular in form. The series of toggle levers may be combined with the bands in any preferred manner, preferably by rivets 8, which pass through the bands and the superimposed ends of each pair of toggle levers and serve as pivots, the members of each togglelever being pivotally joined by rivets 9.

/Vhen the crate is extended as in Fig. 1 the members of each pair of toggle levers will be a latch being fastened. to one member of each of said pairs. Each latch has a bolt 11 on its under side extending through an orifice 10 in the member to which it 'is attached, and through a registering orifice 10il in the corresponding member of the other toggle lever beneath it. 'When the crate is to be collapsed preparatory to returning it, as shown in Fig. 3, the bolts 11 will be withdrawn from the orifices 10`, the toggle levers folded, and the bolts 11 then placed in orifices 10b in the coacting members of the toggle levers. From this it will be observed that each pair of hoops are connected by toggle levers independent of those on either side, so that the crate may be shortened at the top, the bottom, or at any intermediate point by simply folding the toggle levers between the hoops at the desired place and then fastening them.

Only those members adjacent to the tere minals of the crate frame need be provided with the locking latches, but it is to be understood that if found necessary or desirable the .intermediate members may be so equipped, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The means for combining the sack or bag 7 with the frame consists, in this instance, of two hoops 13 and 14 which are herein shown as combined with. bands 2 and 4, and are secured in position by headed pins 14a that project through appropriate orifices furnished in the bands and hoops and through the sack and carry at their inner ends split or cotter pins 15, the bands and hoops being held properly spaced apart by spacers 16 through which the pins project, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. While but two of the hoops are herein shown, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this number, as there may be one of these elements combined with each of the bands if found necessary or desirable, and as this will be readily understood, detailed illustration is omitted.

Where the bands 1 5 are made of metal, their edges may be turned at right angles to the width of the band in order to reinforce them against liability of yielding to pressure.

1f desired there may be combined with one of the bands 3 a tag holder 17 which may be made from sheet metal, of the usual or any preferred construction, to receive a tag or card 18 bearing the name of the consignor and consignee, the holder having combined with it a pivoted latch 19 provided with a pin 2O to enter the holder and thus keep the card from'becoming accidentally separated therefrom.

Tol extend the range of usefulness of the device, by adapting it to accommodate bunches of bananas of different lengths, the bands 1 and 3 will be provided with orifices 21 to be engaged by the pins 14a, those in the band 1- being employed whenv the bunch of bananas is of unusual length,` and those in the band 3 when the bunch is very short in length. When the pins are positioned in the band 2, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper band may be folded down on' the band 2, and thus be out of the way. By the provision of the orifices defined, the' crate may be made to fit a bunch of bananas of any length merely by shifting the position of the hoop 13 and combining it with either the band 1 or 3.

By combining the hoops .13 and 14 with the frame in the manner described Athese may readily be removed when a new bag is to be positioned within the crate.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, that by the arrangement of the parts hereinl shown that ther crate will be thoroughly efficient for retaining a bunch of bananas-against liability of damage in transit and further that when the crate is collapsed that it will occupy but small space and may lthus be cheaply reshipped.

We claim:

1. A banana crate comprising a plurality of bands, a series of individual toggle connections between adjacent bands, means on certain toggles of each series to hold the bands to which said series of toggles are c'onnected separated or brought close together, removable hoops carried by certain of the bands, a sack, and means for removably securing said sack to said hoops.

2. A banana crate comprising a plurality of bands, a plurality of individual toggle connections between adjacent bands only, latches on certain toggle connections between each pair of bands for holding any pair of bands separated or in close contact independently of all other bands, removable vhoops adapted to be temporarily connected to any of said bands, removable bolts for connecting said bands and hoops, and a sack removably secured to said hoops.

3. A banana crate comprising a plurality of bands, individual toggle connections between adjacent bands adapted to extend or collapse adjacent pairs of bands independently, hoops within certain of said bands and removablyattached thereto, a sack within said bands removably but unyieldingly secured to a plurality of said hoops, whereby said sack is placed under tension when the crate is extended, and individual means for locking said toggle connections.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto affixed our signae tures in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES HOWE. HARRY H. ELDREDGE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD L. ADAMS, H. H. WILLOUGHBY, H. PORTER. 

